Combination bridge and tailpiece.



PATENTED MAR. 15, 1904.

E. REACH. COMBINATION BRIDGE AND TAILPIEOE.

APPLICATION I ILBD MAY 20, 1903.

N0 IODEL.

//V VENTOI"? Ewziiefieacip WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES Patented March 15, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

EMILE REACH, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO OSCAR SCHMIDT, OF JERSEY CITY, NElV JERSEY.

COMBINATION BRIDGE AND TAILPIECE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 754,938, dated March 15, 1904. Original application filed March 21, 1903, Serial No. 148,867. Divided and this'applieation filed May 20, 1903. Serial To Ll/ZZ whom it nuty concern.-

Be it known that I, EMILE REACH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Combination Bridge and Tailpiece, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, this application being a division of the application filed by me March 21, 1903, Serial No. 148,867, for a musical instrument.

The invention relates to mandolins, guitars, Zithers, violins, and other like stringed musical instruments; and its object is to provide a new and improved combination bridge and tailpiece arranged for direct and convenient attachment to the belly of the instrument and to allow the interchange of bridges of a high or low character, according ,to the requirements of the instrument.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings,

forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement as applied. Fig. Qis an enlarged longitudinal sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the improvement with the cover removed, and Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the cover for the improvement. The body A of the instrument on which the combination bridge B and tailpiece C is applied is of any desired shape, and from the upper end of the said body A extends a neck D, terminating in a head E, provided with tuning devices F for strings Gr, arranged in pairs and extending over a nut H, and the bridge B to be fastened to the tailpiece (J.

The bridge B and the tailpiece Gare preferably made of sheet metal, and the tailpiece C is provided at its forward end with vertical guideways C for the bridge B to slide in vertically, the bridge being interchangeably held in the said guideways C to allow of fitting a (No model.)

bridge of adesired height in the guideways C according to the requirements of the instrumentthat is, some instruments require a high bridge and others a low bridgeand either of the bridges can be interchangeably fitted on the guideways C of the tailpiece C.

The tailpiece C is provided with struck-up tongues C for receiving loops G on the lower ends of the strings G, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 2. The tailpiece 0 extends in an inclined direction-that is, from the bridge B downwardly and rearwardly and the rear end of the tailpiece C terminates in a horizontal flange C resting on the upper face of the belly A, and the said flange (.l is engaged by a plurality of screws 1 or similar fastening devices, extending through the belly A to screw into a reinforcing or strengthening strip J, extending transversely on the under side of the belly A, adjacent to and abutting against one of the transverse bass bars K of the body A.

Now by the arrangement described the combination bridge and tailpiece is located between the sound-hole A and the lower end of the body A directly on the top of the belly A. A cover L, preferably made of sheet metal and provided on its sides with downwardly and inwardly turned guide-flanges L, is adapted to be slipped lengthwise over the combination bridge and tailpiece, so that the said guideflanges L engage the sides of the tailpiece to properly cover the tongues C and the loops G of the strings G, as plainly indicated in the drawings.

The bridge B is preferably provided with notches for holding the strings G the desired distances apart.

Between the said combination bridge and tailpiece and the sound-hole A is arranged a picking device N for picking the strings (Jr, and this picking device N is essentially of the same construction as the picking device shown and described in the Letters Patent of the United States, No. 633, 876, granted to F. Menzenhauer, for a stringed musical instrument, dated Septembcr26,1899; but as this picking device forms no part of the present invention further detailed description of the same is not deemed necessary.

The strengthening or reinforcing strip J, located directly under the combination bridge and tailpiece, forms an essential feature of the invention, as it permits of securely attaching the combination bridge and tailpiece to the tail A at the proper point. \Vithout this strengthening-strip J, arranged as described, adjacent to the bass bar K, the belly A would be liable to Warp, owing to the strain exerted by the strings G.

By the arrangsment described the bridge and tailpiece are securely fastened to the belly of the instrument and not liable to shift in either direction.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent* 1. A stringed musical instrument having a body provided with a bass-bar on the under side of the belly of the body, a strengtheningstrip abutting against said bar, and a combination bridge and tailpiece on the body over the said strengthening-strip, the said tailpiece having at its rear end an angular extension litting the belly and secured to the same, and to the strcngthening-strip, and a bridge loosely carried by the tailpiece and resting upon the belly of the instrument, with its upper edge projecting above the tailpiece.

2. In a stringed musical instrument, a com bination bridge and tailpiece on the body of the instrument, said tailpiece having at its rear end an angular extension secured to the belly of the body and extending upwardly and. forwardly, the front end of said tailpiece being free, and a bridge loosely held in vertical position by the free end of the tailpiece and resting upon the belly of the instrument with its upper edge projecting above the tail piece.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J No. M. BITTER, H. T. BmnNuARD. 

